14/10/2026
Key taxpayer-friendly reforms recommended at the 57th GST Council meeting (8 Oct 2026):
• Decriminalization: Omission of Sec 69 arrest powers; prosecution threshold raised from ₹1 Cr to ₹5 Cr
• Blocked ITC eased under Sec 17(5) (insurance, catering, telecom towers, pipelines)
• Faster refunds: Inverted-duty input service refunds (from 1 Nov 2026) & capital goods refunds over 60 months (from 1 Apr 2027)
• Dispute relief: ₹10k minimum tax floor for SCNs; Sec 125 penalty capped at ₹10k